It also solidified the Heat as the front runner to acquire Amar’e
Stoudemire from the Suns — if Phoenix decides to trade him. Rival
execs believe that to be a foregone conclusion due to the likelihood
that Stoudemire will not be able to work out a long-term agreement with
the Suns. Although Phoenix apparently is not thrilled with Miami’s
offer — which according to a source includes Michael Beasley and a
first-round pick — the Suns may have little choice but to go through
with the deal rather than have their 2010-11 cap space eaten up by
Stoudemire and/or lose him with no compensation. The Sixers, who have
been on the periphery of the Stoudemire discussions, were no longer
involved as of Wednesday night, sources said.

The Houston Rockets continued to hold substantive talks with the New
York Knicks and Chicago Bulls about exiled guard Tracy McGrady(notes),
with sources close to the negotiations saying the Rockets had yet to
finalize their decision.

Chris Sheridan: Marc Stein has a news story with more on the
Knicks-Rockets-Bulls trade situation, to which we’ll add this nugget:
If Chicago is willing to deal the expiring contracts of Tyrus Thomas,
Brad Miller and Jerome James for McGrady and Brian Cook, it would shave
$2.75 off the Rockets’ payroll and move them just barely below the
luxury tax line. Here is how that deal looks in the ESPN NBA Trade
Machine.

Some league sources believe this is a deal that is preferable to some
members of the Cavaliers’ management and coaching staffs over Amar’e
Stoudemire(notes), but Cleveland still hasn’t made a decision on which
trade to ultimately make. Other trade proposals that intrigue the Cavs
are still emerging on the landscape, but the focus now is on Jamison or
Stoudemire.

The New York Knicks are getting closer to reaching the Houston Rockets’
demands for Tracy McGrady(notes) and his $23 million expiring contract,
league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Knicks and Rockets have designed the framework of a deal that would
unload New York’s Jared Jeffries(notes), Jordan Hill(notes) and either
Al Harrington(notes) or Larry Hughes(notes) for McGrady, Joey
Dorsey(notes) and Brian Cook(notes).

Four days before the N.B.A.’s trading deadline, the Knicks have renewed
efforts to acquire the former All-Star Tracy McGrady from the Houston
Rockets, according to two people close to the talks.

There were substantive discussions on Sunday between the Knicks’
president, Donnie Walsh; Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey; and
McGrady’s agent, Arn Tellem, according to the people, who did not want
to be identified discussing the negotiations.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Although the biggest names of the impending
free-agent class are LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the player involved
in the most speculation is Chris Bosh because it’s assumed he’ll leave
the Toronto Raptors at the end of the season.